Portland Mayor Keith Wilson plans to introduce an ordinance that would permanently establish the Portland Committee on Community Engaged Policing as federal oversight tied to a U.S. Department of Justice settlement agreement begins to wind down.
The proposal would place the committee, known as PCCEP, into city code and allow it to continue advising city leaders and the Portland Police Bureau after court-ordered requirements tied to the federal agreement expire.
PCCEP was originally created under Portland’s settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice following a federal investigation into police practices. The agreement required the city to implement reforms aimed at ensuring constitutional policing and improving interactions between officers and people experiencing mental health crises.
Under the agreement, the committee serves as a community advisory body that gathers public input on police policies, helps evaluate reform efforts and makes recommendations to city leaders and the police bureau.
City officials say the requirement to maintain the committee could soon expire because Portland has maintained substantial compliance with the settlement agreement for more than two years. The city and the Justice Department are expected to file a joint motion asking the court to terminate those provisions.
Wilson said continuing the committee’s work will help sustain community oversight even after federal monitoring ends.
“The Portland Committee on Community Engaged Policing is not just part of our past, it’s part of our future,” Wilson said. “I’m grateful for all the work the committee has done to support better policing, center community voices, and build public trust, and I’m glad that work will continue.”
The proposed ordinance largely reflects language developed by PCCEP members in 2024, with updates to reflect Portland’s new city charter and governmental structure.
If approved, PCCEP would remain an advisory body to both the mayor and the Portland police chief and continue providing a forum for community members to raise concerns and provide input on policing policies.
The committee includes 13 community members who operate independently from city government and the Portland Police Bureau. Members review progress on policing reforms and gather feedback from Portland residents about police practices.
The settlement agreement that created PCCEP also included reforms related to police use-of-force policies, officer training, crisis intervention and accountability systems designed to strengthen constitutional policing and public trust.
Wilson’s proposal would ensure that the community advisory committee continues operating even after federal oversight tied to those reforms formally concludes.
